Enhanced Iron Sights

ABSTRACT

A firearm such as a pistol, which uses “iron sights”. The forward sight element is secured to a forward portion of the pistol and has a generally rectangular cross section. The rear sight has a left element and a right element, both of which are secured to the pistol at a rearward portion of the firearm. To assist the user in sighting when the forward sight may appear larger than the gap between the rear sight elements, the rear sight elements each have a profile in which they are narrower at a base near the pistol than at the sighting gap distal from the pistol.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to firearms and more specifically to the sights used on pistols and some long rifles known as iron sights.

Although the history of the first firearm is hazy, the original firearm, a cannon, is attributed to a monk, Konstantin Anklitzen, around 1260. Accuracy of the original cannons was not critical as these early firearms were used primarily as siege instruments.

Later, sights were added to the cannon. These sights were very rudimentary consisting primarily of a rear sight (a post) and a forward sight (another post) which were aligned with each other. Typically made of iron, these types of sights were referred to as “Iron Sights”. Modern versions are often made of metal for endurances although other materials are also employed.

Iron sights are sighting devices used to assist in the aiming of a firearm, crossbow, or telescope. These types of sights have two elements: the front element and the rear element. As their names suggest, the front element is secured to the front of the firearm (e.g. proximate to the end of the barrel) while the rear element is secured to the rear of the firearm (e.g. closest to the user's eye). Both sights are securely affixed to the firearm through dovetailing, sweat soldering, screwing, or staking.

The “Partridge Sight” is the most common type of iron sight. In this sight, the front element is a post; the rear sight is made up of two posts. In sighting, the user positions the top of the front post level with the tops of the two rear posts.

Regardless of the configuration, for iron sights there should be a noticeable space between each side of the front sight and the edges of the rear sight elements so that accurate alignment/aiming is possible.

Iron sights are considered “open sights” in that there are not optical elements used. Open sights provide a number of benefits: inexpensive to produce, uncomplicated to use, sturdy, lightweight, resistant to severe environmental conditions, and able to operate without the use of batteries.

As noted earlier, when using open sights, there should be a noticeable visual space around the front post and the rear sighting elements. In the situation where a rifle is used, this is often the case; but, for a pistol, by shooting in the defensive position (gun close to the body) or in a “targeting position” (arms extended), the ability to enjoy this space between the front sight and each rear element becomes impossible and accuracy is lost.

Even a tiny error in aiming results in inaccurate trajectories which can be devastating. As example, for a ten meter target, an error of a mere 0.2 mm alignment can create a 3 mm impact divergence. This multiplying of the sighting error is even more noticeable at longer ranges.

It is clear from the foregoing that there is a need for an iron sight particularly useful for pistols that allow the user to accurately fire from a variety of positions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is ideally used on a firearm such as a pistol. Although the following discussion relates to a pistol, the invention is not intended to be so limited and is intended to be used on any firearm whether handheld or not.

The pistol of the present invention utilizes “iron sights”. These sights may or may not be made of iron. In this context, the term “iron sights” is used to designate a firearm sighting system in which a single forward element is visually aligned between two rear sight elements. When properly aligned by the user, the firearm is properly aimed at the target.

The forward sight element is secured to a forward portion of the pistol and has a generally rectangular cross section. In this regard, the “cross section” is the profile which is seen by the user.

In the case of a revolver, the forward sight element is secured directly to the barrel of the firearm; in the case of an automatic pistol, the forward sight element is secure to the slide portion of the pistol.

The rear sight has a left element and a right element, both of which are secured to the pistol at a rearward portion of the firearm and are typically mirror images of each other when viewed from the rear of the pistol. The rear sight is typically secured either to the frame in the case of a revolver, or to the slide in the case of an automatic pistol.

At the upper-most portion of the rear sight, a gap is created between the elements. This gap is used to align the forward sight for proper aiming of the pistol to the target. The width of the forward sight is selected to approximate but be narrower than the gap at the rear sight. The closer the tolerance is between the forward sight's width and the gap at the rear sight, the better the accuracy.

To assist the user in aiming when the forward sight may appear larger than the gap, the rear sight has a lower gap at the base of the rear sight elements where the two sight elements are secured to the firearm. This lower gap is larger than the upper gap. This permits the user to use the lower gap as a window in aiming when the upper gap is totally obscured by the forward sight element.

To accomplish this gap difference, each of the rear sight elements has a profile in which they are narrower at a base near the pistol than at the sighting gap distal from the pistol. A variety of such configurations for the rear elements are obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art, including, but not limited to: an sloping face between the upper portion of the rear sighting element and the base of the rear sighting element; a sloping face between the upper portion of the rear sighting element and the base of the rear sighting element; and where the rear sighting element is shaped as an inverted “L” shaped.

In some embodiments of the invention, the upper gap has protruding “fingers” to assist an expert marksman in adjusting for distance.

The invention, together with various embodiments thereof, will be more fully explained by the accompanying drawings and the following descriptions thereof.

DRAWINGS IN BRIEF

FIG. 1A illustrates an automatic pistol employing an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 1B illustrates a revolver employing an embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate two embodiments of the forward sight.

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate the advantage of the present invention.

FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C, and 4D illustrate various embodiments of the rear sight of the invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates yet another embodiment of the rear sight.

DRAWINGS IN DETAIL

FIG. 1A illustrates an automatic pistol employing an embodiment of the invention.

Pistol 10A has an upper slide 11. At a forward position on slide 11 is mounted forward sight 12A. Rear sight 13A is mounted at a rearward portion of slide 11.

For a revolver, FIG. 1B, forward sight 12B is mounted onto barrel 14 while rear sight 13B is secured to the frame 15.

Although these two configurations for mounting are the preferred ones, those of ordinary skill in the art readily recognize that a variety of other mounting configurations are acceptable depending on the firearm itself and the desires of the firearm manufacturer.

FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate two embodiments of the forward sight.

The front/forward sight 12A, first shown in FIG. 1A, has a generally rectangular cross section when viewed by the user while aiming the pistol and is mounted onto slide 11.

Front sight 21 of FIG. 2B also has a generally rectangular cross section but also includes a circular pin-point element 22 which is used to enhance aiming as the pin-point element 22 is placed in line with the target for a pin-point identification of where the projectile will impact.

Front sight 21 is secured to firearm 20.

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate the advantage of the present invention.

FIG. 3A illustrates the aiming arrangement in a traditional situation. Mounted onto firearm 33 is forward sight 32A together with rear sight elements 30A and 31A. Rear sight element 31A is a mirror image of rear sight element 30A. Note that a gap is formed between the upper portions of rear sight element 30A and rear sight element 31A. Due to the shape of the rear sight elements (curved face from the upper to the lower portions in this illustration), the gap at the base of the rear sight is larger than the upper gap.

For traditional aiming, the top of the forward sight 21A is aligned with the upper surface of rear sight elements 30A and 30B and within the gap. Opening 34A and 34B are used to assure the besting aim available. In perfect aiming, openings 34A and 34B are substantially equal.

In some situations, where the firearm/pistol is extended at arm's length, openings 34A and 34B cease to exist. This situation is shown in exaggerated form in FIG. 3B.

As before, the top surface of the forward sight 32B is aligned with the top surface of rear sight elements 30B and 31B. In this situation, where no openings 34A and 34B exist to assist the user in obtaining accurate aim, openings 35A and 35B provide guidance. When openings 35A and 35B are substantially equal, the user knows that proper sighting has been obtained.

FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C, and 4D illustrate various embodiments of the rear sight of the invention.

In FIG. 4A, the rear sights are inverted “L” shaped. When secured to the firearm, the top of the rear sights form a gap 41A which is used for the traditional aiming. The gap is formed by substantially rectangular fingers extending toward each other.

Lower gap 41B, proximate to the firearm, is larger that gap 41A. Lower gap 41B is used for aiming when the upper gap 41A is totally obscured by the forward sight (not shown).

FIG. 4B is an alternative embodiment of the rear sight elements 42A and 42B. As with the other rear sights, the two rear sight elements are mirror images of each other. In this embodiment, an interior face 43 extend away from the fingers to define the enlarged lower gap. The rear sight elements 42A and 42B are secured to firearm 44.

FIG. 4C is yet another embodiment of the rear sights which in this case, elements 45A and 45B have an interior curved face which extends downward from the distal portion of the element to the proximate portion of the element.

Although several embodiments of these rear sights have been discussed, those of ordinary skill in the art readily recognize a variety of other configurations which will serve the function as outlined herein.

FIG. 4D is an enhanced embodiment of the rear sight using elements 47A and 47B. This embodiment uses protrusions 48A and 48B to assist the user in adjusting for varying target distances by selecting which protrusion to use for alignment of the top of the forward sight.

FIG. 5 illustrates yet another embodiment of the rear sight.

In this embodiment, the enlarged lower gap is established using two sloping members 50A and 50B forming a pyramid shape. When secured to the pistol 51, gap 52A is substantially less than gap 52B.

The present invention provides an iron sight that is more versatile allowing the shooter to obtain enhanced sighting of the weapon. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An iron sight for a firearm comprising: a) a forward sight element secured to a forward portion of a firearm, said forward sight having a generally rectangular cross section; and, b) a rear sight assembly having a left element and a right element, the left element and the right element secured to the firearm at a rearward portion of the firearm such that, 1) an upper gap is established between the left element and the right element distal from the firearm; and, 2) A lower gap is established between the left element and the right element proximate to the firearm, said upper gap being less than the lower gap.
 2. The iron sight for a firearm according to claim 1, wherein the left element is a mirror image of the right element.
 3. The iron sight for a firearm according to claim 2, wherein the upper portion of the left element has a substantially square finger portion extending toward the right element.
 4. The iron sight for a firearm according to claim 3, wherein the left element has an interior face portion extending at an angle from the square finger portion to the base of the left element.
 5. The iron sight for a firearm according to claim 3, wherein the left element has a curved interior face extending from the square finger portion to the base of the left element.
 6. The iron sight for a firearm according to claim 3, wherein the left element is substantially “L” shaped.
 7. The iron sight for a firearm according to claim 3, wherein the forward sight element includes a circular sighting ball located at a top portion thereof.
 8. The iron sight for a firearm according to claim 3, wherein the upper portion of the left element has at least two protrusions extending toward the right element.
 9. The iron sight for a firearm according to claim 8, wherein an upper protrusion has a length greater than a length of a lower protrusion.
 10. An iron sight for a firearm comprising: a) a forward sight element secured to a forward portion of a firearm, said forward sight having a generally rectangular cross section; and, b) a rear left element and a rear right element secured to the firearm at a rearward portion of the firearm, said rear left element having a narrower cross section at a base near the firearm than a distal portion of the rear left element, the rear right element secured to the firearm at a rearward portion of the firearm such that a gap is established at an upper position between the rear left element and rear right element.
 11. The iron sight for a firearm according to claim 10, wherein the rear right element is a mirror image of the rear left element.
 12. The iron sight for a firearm according to claim 11, wherein the upper portion of the rear left element has a substantially square finger portion extending toward the rear right element.
 13. The iron sight for a firearm according to claim 12, wherein the rear left element has an interior face portion extending at an angle from the square finger portion to the base of the rear left element.
 14. The iron sight for a firearm according to claim 12, wherein the rear left element has a curved interior face portion extending from the square finger portion to the base of the rear left element.
 15. A firearm assembly comprising: a) a pistol; b) a forward sight element secured to a forward portion of the pistol, said forward sight having a generally rectangular cross section; c) a rear left element and a rear right element secured to the pistol at a rearward portion of the firearm, a profile of said rear left element and said rear right element being narrower at a base near the pistol than distal from the pistol.
 16. The firearm assembly according to claim 15, wherein the profile of the upper portion of the rear left element has a substantially square finger portion extending toward the rear right element and forming a gap therebetween.
 17. The firearm assembly according to claim 16, wherein the rear left element is a mirror image of the rear right element.
 18. The firearm assembly according to claim 17, a) wherein said pistol includes an upper slide portion; and, b) wherein the forward sight element, the rear left element, and the rear right element are secured to the slide portion.
 19. The firearm assembly according to claim 17, a) wherein said pistol includes a barrel; and, b) wherein the forward sight element is secured to the barrel. 